The Trend of Pre-Service Science Teacher Education in the Fifteen Years Period (2002-2016)

Abstract

     The objectives of the study were to analyze the production of first degree level science teachers by teacher institutions starting from the period of the Third National Educational Development Plan (BE 2515- 2519) to that of the Eighth Plan (BE 2540-2544), and to synthesize trends of pre-service science teacher education in the fifteen years period. The population understudied were 250 pieces of related documents on the production of science teachers from the period of the Third National Educational Development Plan (BE 2515-2519) till that of the Eighth Plan (BE 2540-2544); and four groups of experts related to the production and development of science teachers, altogether 48 persons. The research instruments were data recording sheets and open-ended questionnaires inquiring opinions of experts in teacher production about the draft trend of teacher production in the fifteen years period. Tools for analyzing the collected information included a content analysis technique, average and percentage. Results of the study revealed that science teacher production during the periods of the Third to the Eighth Plans was based on the philosophy orientating towards output and process rather than giving due importance to recruiting the able and moral students into the teaching profession. The 48 teacher institutions produced general science teachers the most and had the tendency to produce fewer teachers in biology. There was actually a mismatch between output and demand, lower than the target set forth in the Plans. In particular, there was a shortage of science teachers at the primary education level. In addition, teachers' knowledge, teaching techniques and their scientific procedural skills were rated low. Further, it was found that the production trend in fifteen years was as follows: the philosophy focus on producing science teachers possessing critical thinking skills, ability to apply techniques and methods appropriate to scientific contents as well as to communicate effectively, and literacy in computer and technology. In addition, policy had to emphasize building up faith in the profession, setting up selection criteria for recruiting entrants having an average in science subjects not lower than 2.75, giving science teacher graduates higher monthly salary than those in science, reforming science education curriculum and improving the quality of the faculty members. In relation to curriculum it was gear towards the 5-year degree program or the 5-year study in which students took double majors leading to two degrees (B.Sc. and B.Ed.), in which students either take it in parallel or top up one another by means of taking double majors general science and another major subject. In addition, intuitions should increase graduate production in Earth Science, Environmental Science and Biology as well as offer science teacher program for primary school that corresponds with the basic education curriculum of B.E. 2544, in particular the science learning core program. In term of output, there was decreasing rate of growth in science teacher production approximately at 1,800 and 1,600 per year for primary and secondary education levels respectively. In addition, it was required that science teacher needed to have the following attributes, i.e., having good understanding of the content of science, mastery of scientific procedural skills, scientific minded and being able to construct school-based curriculum. As a result, the trend of pre-service science teacher education in the fifteen years period, related to its philosophy, policy, curriculum and fields, is that there will be sufficient qualified science teachers.